What is the story about?
Rangers
4, Padres 3
- That was a good game that the Texas Rangers should’ve won, and did won.
- I like when that happens.
- Especially given how down the vibes were coming into the game.
- Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his start on Saturday, then the Ranger bullpen blows a lead and the Rangers lose a winnable game in demoralizing fashion.
- Then, before this game, we learn that Jack Leiter is headed to the injured list. The bullpen is struggling, Eovaldi’s health is up in the air, and now Leiter is on the i.l.? Might as well start fielding phone calls from buyers in anticipation of the deadline…
- But Nathan Eovaldi, once again, came up big when the team needed him.
- Eovaldi went six innings, five of them very good, one problematic. Eovaldi allowed seven hits in the game, with six of them coming in the top of the fourth, when the Padres scored three runs, and could have scored more, had Gavin Sheets not been thrown out at home on a one out Xander Bogaerts single.
- Eovaldi had given up a single to start the game, then retired the next nine batters in a row before things went sideways in the fourth. He retired the side in the fifth and issued a two out walk as the only baserunner in the sixth.
- Eovaldi struck out nine batters in all. His splitter was especially effective — he got 10 swings and misses on it, while his curveball generated another 5 whiffs.
- Peyton Gray and Robbie Ahlstrom got the Rangers to the ninth, where Jakob Junis allowed a pair of singles to start the inning, prompting all sorts of nail biting and glue sniffing, though Junis retired the next three batters to secure the win.
- Offensively, the Rangers were having good enough at bats that you feel like they should have put more than four runs and five hits up on the board.
- Wyatt Langford accounted for three runs with a three run homer in the third, his sixth of the season. He also had a single as part of a 2 for 4 afternoon.
- One of the very positive things from this weekend is that the “what’s wrong with Wyatt Langford” discussions we’ve been having the last week or so on here should die down, at least for a while.
- Langford is currently slashing .271/.311/.479, good for a 119 wRC+. As a point of reference, last year, Langford had a 118 wRC+.
- Josh Jung, Jake Burger and offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez all had two hit games, with Jung driving in Lopez with a fourth inning single for what was ultimately the winning run.
- On the flip side, the 5th through 8th spots in the order went 0 for 12 with a pair of walks.
- One of the walks was by Justin Foscue, pinch hitting for Alejandro Osuna. Jarred Kelenic was sent in to pinch run for Osuna, and promptly got caught stealing to end the inning.
- Not the way to impress upon management the need to keep you up with Corey Seager and Evan Carter return.
- Nathan Eovaldi topped out at 94.9 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.6 mph. Peyton Gray reached 95.4 mph with his fastball. Robby Ahlstrom’s fastball maxed out at 95.2 mph. Jakob Junis got to 94.8 mph with his fastball.
- Brandon Nimmo had a 108.9 mph GIDP. Wyatt Langford had a 105.4 mph home run and a 103.2 mph single. Joc Pederson had a 104.9 mph GIDP. Jake Burger had a 102.5 mph single. Josh Jung had a 101.9 mph single and a 101.5 mph fly out. Nicky Lopez had a 101.2 mph single.
- The Rangers now start a ridiculous road trip that will see them play 10 games in 10 days, followed by a one game at home before their next off day, on Friday, July 3 (thank the World Cup for that Friday off day).
